


These Streets

by divine_lunar_dragon



Category: Original Work
Genre: -ish if you squint?, AU, Drinking, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, One Shot, au of a story i haven't written about yet lol, cursing, drug dealing mention, more just reuniting after ten years
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:47:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26487400
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/divine_lunar_dragon/pseuds/divine_lunar_dragon
Summary: Returning back to her hometown ten years after leaving to bury her father, Abi struggles to deal with her own feelings of having left without saying goodbye to her friends. And the one person who means the most to her even now. All Carsino wants to do is get drunk and not deal with the feelings of having to bury the man more like a father to him than his own and instead runs into a familiar face in familiar a familiar part of town.
Relationships: Abbi/Carsino, Carsino & Kaito
Kudos: 2





	These Streets

Stumbling, mumbling, incoherent laughter fighting through tears of sadness. She was drunk, blissfully and stupidly drunk. Drunk enough to remember things she had run from, people she had run from. Drunk enough to allow herself to feel things about these memories that haunted her.

She should have been back at her hotel room but her feet had kept walking. She should have let Kaito walk her back, maybe she'd had been less inclined to then later walk out of the hotel room in search of more booze because she hadn't been drunk enough for any of this by the time she left the tri-colored calico. Maybe she should have never left in the first place.

But you can only ever watch the man you love swoon and dote and _refuse to make a move on_ someone else so much before it becomes unbearable. At some point you have to stop hating yourself and move on with your life.  
  
Maybe she should have at least said goodbye.  
  
Leaning against a brick wall, a sob bubbling up from her chest, the snow leopard looked up at the stars and tried to get herself back together. She should head back to her hotel room, sleep and then leave and never look back. Lower the risk of running into him, of opening old wounds she never let heal.

The world she had constructed growing up had kept going without her in the last ten years, it wouldn't miss her if she never returned. Maybe she'd at least tell Kaito as she took a cab back home... 

Instead of acting on the plan she'd decided on, the woman simply slid down to sit in the small alley she'd stopped in as a hiccup escaped her. Tears burned through the pale fur on her cheeks while she drew her knees to her chest. Who was she kidding, there wasn't much of a point in going back home right now anyway, not with her dad so freshly buried in the ground next to her mother. 

The whole reason she'd come back honestly...

"Fuck it... I need another drink," she murmured before stumblingly pushing herself back onto her feet and step out from the alley way. She'd leave all of this to be dealt with by morning and hung-over her... She wasn't drunk enough to handle any of this.

\-----------------------

"Why are you here?" grumbled a dark male as piercing blue eyes stared at the calico. "I thought you left hours ago." 

"Mm, I had but Virus called and said you'd popped in." A simple shrug as he slid into the chair next to the large lion. "This can't be easy for you." 

"I'm fine." 

A firm reply with little emotion but then they all knew that Carsino rarely let anyone in on how he was feeling exactly. Only one person had ever been able to understand him on that level and she'd left ten years ago. Though he wondered if the lion was aware she was back in town.

"Do you know if she was there?" he asked with a small tilt of his head, watching him closely. He knew how to note some changes in him but then... the three of them had grown up together practically forever ago. 

"I didn't see her." Steel in his voice, tight like a rope threatening to snap. "But I also wasn't looking." 

"Bullshit. We all looked for her." Kaito had been the only one to find her in the end. 

The grip on the glass Carsino held tightened just enough and they both wondered if it would break from the amount of tension in his arm. Seconds later and his grip loosened, the calico finding him sagging and looking sad. Huh... that had almost been easier then he'd thought it would have been. 

"Again I ask, _why_ are you here Kaito?" Ice blue shifted just enough to stare at the smaller cat, trying to gauge him but finding himself unable to. Or uncaring to? It was hard to tell. 

"Just like I said, Virus called." A hand on the lion's exposed bicep. "He's cutting you off and I'm here to take you home." 

"Bullshit. I have every right to drink tonight!" A fist slammed against the bar, pulling attention in the room immediately to them as silence echoed around them. It was like the entire room had died, the air still. Carsino paid them no mind as he finished his drink but instead of remaining there, he threw some money on the counter and stood up. How dare they know him well enough to pull this caring bullshit on him.

"Fuck you, Kaito," was all he said as he turned to leave, making sure Virus got a clear middle finger as he stalked out of the Glitterdust's bar. He'd just go buy some alcohol and drown himself in it. Or find a hooker and let out his aggression that way. 

Probably not that but it wouldn't do any harm to look, claws running through his mane as he stalked down his usual path for home. A path he knew far too fucking well, littered with too many fucking memories that had haunted him since she'd left. God he wasn't drunk enough to be dealing with these thoughts right now... should have fucking left him to drown himself.

Maybe this could have all been dealt with if she'd been there, allowed him even a moment to talk to her. Even if all they did was argue, said some shit neither of them meant and walked away from each other forever it would have... done something! Maybe he could finally bring himself to hate her for leaving and taking care of herself while he'd been a moron who hadn't seen what he'd had in front of him the entire time.

A groan as he turned a corner, bringing a paw down his face. Who was he kidding? Even then he could never fucking hate her. But... it would have been nice to know she was okay (considering)... To find out what she still thought of him so he could keep moving on ~~or right a wrong he'd made far too fucking long ago~~.

Across the street a moving form caught his eye, not many were out so late if they weren't in a bar. Less if they weren't in a group. He couldn't see too well from this distance but it was definitely a female, the form something he'd thought she'd have grown into during her absence. Definitely pale enough to be her too... 

A desperate chuckle as he paused, watching the female continue to walk on. "I've finally fucking lost it. Some bitch looks vaguely enough like her and I crack." Maybe alcohol _was_ off the table for the night after all. 

But then again it wasn't every day you got to bury the man who was more a father then one's own genetic donor...

A groaning sigh as he moved to continue down the path, inadvertently following the woman as he opted to just head home. The corner store not far from his apartment wouldn't miss his patronage tonight... Especially as he was sure to double it the next day if he was lucky. 

God what he wouldn't give for this night to just be over with already.

\------------------------

Passing a corner store still open for the night, the snow leopard ducked inside and peered around to see what the heaviest thing they had alcohol wise was. Vodka behind the clerk was the best bet and there was no hesitation as she moved to pay for it. She did find herself pausing as a dark form passed the window, magenta eyes following it automatically as it caught her attention. 

The form seemed to feel her gaze on him and turned to peer, he didn't seem to have expected to have caught up to her and get a better look if the startled look in those ice blue eyes she knew so well was any indication. The world stopped and she swore she didn't know what it was to even breathe anymore. 

"Miss, your change?" 

And just like that the spell was broken and she turned to the clerk, who's paw held out the change for what she'd handed him to pay for the vodka. Reaching out she grabbed the alcohol instead and turned to go, offering him a very tired (and probably drunk) smile. 

"Keep it." 

Then she was out the door to stand in front of the large black lion who had yet to move from where he'd been watching her. A wide, albeit probably a little crazed from the alcohol in her system already, grin to the form she'd been trying to avoid the entire time as she held up the bottle. 

"Want to go some where and get shit faced with me?"

"I would love nothing else," he replied, unable to help a small rumble from coloring his words. He should have been pissed, or maybe some other emotion, at seeing her when he'd thought she'd just avoided the fucking funeral all together but that smile had coaxed something out of him. 

Because suddenly it was like ten years of absence hadn't happened. Like they were back to being the little hellion teenagers they'd been, about to get drunk and get into trouble so they'd have to be bailed out of trouble yet again. Like they were six and she'd stopped in front of a bored child kicked out of his own house by a father who hadn't given three shits about him and she'd just found her entire purpose and best friend all in one go. 

An arm settled against her waist as he moved to lead her for his apartment, the building a familiar one as he'd ended up moving back into the place where it had all started. Because if they were going to do this is might as well be some place safe. Some place familiar and warm and where he could take care of her at the end of it all. Because even now all he wanted was to take care of her even at the cost of his own happiness.

He couldn't say it wouldn't be fitting.

\---------------------

"You really moved back here?" she asked as she twisted the cap off so she could take a heavy swig.

Maybe he should have taken the vodka away from her once they were settled on his couch. 

"It was cheap and I could buy out the apartment next door for work." A small shrug as he watched her, took in her state in much better light then outside the corner store. "I own the apartment for good and it's not like my dad lives here anymore." 

"Really? Whatever happened to the asshole?" 

"Rotting in jail, last I heard. Nearly tried to kill a prostitute-" hands came up definisively at the look on her face, the lion moving quickly to correct himself. "Sex worker, sorry. He tried to kill a sex worker in a drugged up rage and between that and the fact he'd moved to dealing drugs..." Another shrug. "I don't know, guess they just decided to keep him locked up or something." 

She couldn't help a small giggle at how quickly he'd corrected himself just from a look, another swig taken before the bottle was held out to him. God it burned so good. 

"Sounds like a good place for him, if I'm honest. Should have been there sooner." 

"No kidding." 

Grabbing the bottle from her he took his own heavy drink then- reached for the lid to cap it and put it on the table. He ignored the noise of indigence from the snow leopard, shifting to look at her fully. 

"You're more then drunk enough even if you don't feel it, Abbi. Be lucky I even let you have what you did." 

"What does it matter? I'm a grown fucking woman." 

"You are, yes," he replied with a small knowing look, eyes on her. "But... you're also a woman who just had to bury her father. Who's also been gone for ten years and probably spent the time you've been in town trying to avoid _all_ of your friends who could give you support." 

"Who died and made you my dad?" she sulked, drawing her knees to her chest. 

Without missing a heartbeat, a fanged grin was given as he couldn't stop himself from answering. "Your dad." 

Silence a moment, magenta eyes staring at him before she snorted, laughed honestly and reached for a couch pillow to bash into the side of him. "You ass hole! That's not even fucking funny." 

Except it was in a way and... honestly? Carsino was probably the one person who could get away with shitty jokes like that at Maddox's expense. Especially since he'd spent most of his life giving the man grief while fucking his daughter. God, the guy was probably doing somersaults in his grave!

Carsino didn't even bother to reply except to chuckle and grin like he was proud of himself. He probably was... 

"You could have come to us, Abs. Just because you've been gone doesn't mean we wouldn't be here for you. You mean too much to us to just leave you like that." Maddox had practically raised most of their group growing up at some point, he'd been just as much their dad as hers. 

"Ten years. I've been gone ten years, I didn't even offer a good bye to any of you. Didn't bother to keep in touch..." She should have been surprised that Kaito had managed to get her cellphone number but honestly that was just how he rolled. "How can any of you still care for me after that? How can *you*?" 

"Because we all have to do what's best for us, even if it means not keeping in touch. Even if it means forever pining after someone you never should have let walk away in the first place. We all have shit in our lives we regret Abbi but we can never really hate each other over it. We're family." 

"God," she replied wetly, swallowing heavily as she avoided looking up at him. "When the hell did you get so fucking mature and wise?" 

His gaze softened and a paw reached out to her, trying to turn her face to him but not forcing. "When I realized that I was the moron that let the best thing in my life just walk away because I was too much of an idiot to admit to myself that it was her I loved and not some cute sophomore who was really just a passing fancy." 

"And when was that?" she asked softly, voice still thick and her gaze refusing to look at him. 

"Really? You want to pull that shit?" he puffed mock angrily, trying not to smile at the small twitch at the corner of her mouth. "Ugh, fine. Probably... the day your dad confessed to me that you'd moved to try and blaze your own path." 

He'd... actually gotten a good talking to in the end about not taking things (and people) for granted. It had also come with conversations of missing what was in front of you the entire time and not blindly rushing into decisions that could make things worse. ~~Like almost chasing after her to demand she move back home and get back together. They both had known that would have just pissed Abbi right off.~~

"Why didn't you say anything?" No doubt her dad could have called her, let them talk.

"Because I wanted to give you time. You'd spent a couple of years waiting for me to make a move in one direction or another and then made your own decision. I almost chased after you, I'll admit, but we all know that wouldn't have gone well." 

"No because you have this way of making it your way or the highway." A pointed look that let him see that, at least for the moment, the tears had stopped. 

"Pretty much. And you would have chosen the highway because I'm a big stupid male and you know damn well how to put me in my place." An almost charming grin. "There's... also something to be said about "if you love something let it go". You knew, at least a little, of what you wanted and I didn't want to stand in the way of that. I always figured if we were still meant to be you'd come back one day." 

It was... odd to hear him speak in an almost romantic way. Not that Carsino had never not been romantic but it was just always in his own way. Years ago he'd have never said anything like this to her face. Time had a way of changing people she supposed. 

"I thought you'd be so mad at me." 

"I probably was at one point... But in the end my anger didn't mean a damn thing in the face of your happiness." 

"You've always been my happiness." 

A pause and there may have been a bit of a stunned blink of ice blue eyes. Had... he heard that right? 

"Then what took you so long to come back to it?" 

"Well... dad moved out to live with me and you seemed inclined to remain here? I always just figured you'd finally made a move on Fenrir and that was that." 

"How'd you know I didn't?" 

"Kaito texted me while I was on my search for more booze." A roll of her eyes. "He'd managed to put a tracker on my phone so he knew where I was. I have the feeling he knew you might run into me." 

"And you were buying more booze despite this information because?" 

"Because I'm hormonal. Because I had regrets. Because I still love you and I was still so afraid you'd be mad at me?" There were a lot of reasons. "I mean, shit, Car. I just buried my dad, why wouldn't I go and, like, get majorly wasted in the preparation for having to go back to a house that doesn't have anyone waiting for me?" 

Opening his mouth to reply he shut it seconds later. She had a very good point. "You've had enough alcohol for the night and should sleep." 

"I still can't sleep well enough without someone in bed with me."

A small smirk. "I never said you were going to sleep in a bed alone. When have we ever not shared a bed when something bad happened?" 

"I don't want to go back to a lonely house." 

"So don't. Sell it and move in with me." 

"You're aware you're asking a drunk woman to move in with you the night of her father's funeral?" 

"And we've had sex while I locked eyes with your dad as he passed by the open bedroom door. What's your fucking point Abigaia?" 

A snort of laughter as her cheeks burned pink. "Oh my god you did not." 

"Move in with me and I can tell you all the things you don't remember that I've done to fuck with your father." 

"I don't just move in with anyone, Carsino." 

"And I don't ask anyone I don't intend to date to move in with me." 

"Is that you asking?" 

"More like a promise." 

A soft, fond smile before the snow leopard moved to close the distance to hug him, pressing her face against his neck. "Give me a couple days?" 

"I'll give you as long as you want." A pause as he scooped her up, moving to put them in his bed. 

There was silence met with him as he moved them through the apartment and he almost wondered if maybe she'd finally given in to sleep. Lord knew she needed it. Settling her into the bed, he moved to cover her and get himself ready when there was a soft voice from her side of the bed. It was sleep filled and almost missed but it had his head turning as soon as the words registered in his already rambling head. 

"Marry me." 

"What?" he had to have misheard. 

"Marry me," she replied, just as sleep slurred but louder as she watched him get ready for bed. 

Nope. Not a misunderstanding but his brain had certainly malfunctioned just a tiny bit. There was no reply as he slid under the covers to join her, pulling her close only to find they still fit so well against one another. He'd certainly made the biggest mistake of his life once before but not again. A small chuckle left him finally as he buried his nose in her hair, eyes drifting shut. 

"Ask me in the morning... when you aren't half asleep and drunk." 

A small noise and no other reply came and he chuckled again knowing she'd heard him and was probably going to do something over the top when she did ask again. And that was fine because he knew exactly what he'd say in reply. And what he'd say from this point on whenever she asked anything of him again. **Yes**.

**Author's Note:**

> This was written up in one go while listening to These Streets by Bastille. It felt only fitting to give it the same name because I wasn't sure what else to call it lol. Technically a song fic I guess, because of that? *shrugs* IDK. But here, have my first posted fic in literal years I guess.


End file.
